This invention relates to a device for use by psychologists and psychiatrists in connection with evaluation of pre-school and childhood patients in a psychotherapeutic milieu. More particularly the invention relates to a novel psychotherapeutic device which may be advantageously utilized to facilitate communication between a child and a therapist.
Psychotherapy may be thought of in its broadest context as a conversation with a therapeutic purpose. The ultimate goals of psychotherapy include: release of a patient's pent-up feelings; conditioning or reconditioning of particular responses; examination of a patient's values, concepts and attitudes; muscular relaxation; identification of unconscious impulses; etc.
Success in attaining such goals depends upon the particular attitude of the patient with respect to the therapist and an ability of the therapist to communicate with the patient. In this connection, at its core is a unique relationship between a clinician and a patient in which there is communication which can relieve distress and set conditions for relearning and personal growth. Broadly speaking, psychotherapy describes an intentional application of psychological techniques by a clinician to the end of effecting sought after personality, attitude or behavioral changes.
A psychotherapist is simultaneously compassionate and dispassionate. The therapist plays a supportive role in advancing the well-being of a patient by using training, knowledge, intelligence and empathy to understand and guide the patient. The central core of the relationship and ability to provide useful assistance stems from an ability to communicate both verbally and non-verbally with the patient. This is particularly true with children who are limited in the scope and complexity of their perception and communication.
There are a myriad of psychotherapy techniques that have been found to be helpful for adult patients of which the most well known is the Rogers client-centered approach; however, behavior therapy for children can become quite complicated. In this connection, an adult usually refers himself to therapy while a child is typically referred by others. An adult is more likely to understand the role of therapy and to share many of a therapist's objectives while a child must be provided with an intrinsically interesting experience in order to sustain motivation. In addition, adults usually have adequate verbal ability for verbal psychotherapy. Children on the other hand often must be reached on a non-verbal level.
An important psychotherapy technique attempts to utilize a child's pleasure in play. Play becomes, in such a context, a medium of communication allowing a therapist to build a relationship with the patient. A playroom provides a milieu for therapy which a child may express feelings, even unacceptable or unpleasant ones, such as anger at parents or fear of death.
In the past, toys have been commonly used in play therapy including sand boxes, crayons, finger paints, dolls, etc. Toys such as dolls have been employed to help children communicate with respect to physical or sexual abuse. These dolls deal with the relationship between the child and abuser and are used by the child to express events, cause and effect, resulting emotions, and desired outcomes.
Although techniques and devices which have been known in the past provide a form of useful play therapy with children, communication with a patient can be exacerbated in instances of a child in a life threatening circumstance; such as, a child with terminal cancer or a child which has been the subject of no fault traumatic mutilation through burn, mechanical dismemberment, etc. In these and other situations, it would be highly desirable for a therapist to have a psychotherapy device that would be easy to use, would not rely on developed verbal skills and may be used to express emotion when there is no person or thing to blame for a child's circumstance.
The limitations of prior child psychotherapy devices suggested in the preceding are not intended to be exhaustive, but rather are among many which may tend to limit of effectiveness of prior therapy techniques and devices. Other noteworthy limitations may exist, however, those suggested in the preceding should be sufficient to demonstrate that child psychotherapy devices appearing in the past will admit to worthwhile improvement.